When Madeleine King was sworn in as Australia’s Federal Resources Minister on June 1, 2022, she became the first woman to take on the position in the country’s history.
Now approaching four years in the role, she is the fourth-longest serving resources minister since the portfolio was established in 1972.
King identified workplace culture and female participation as priorities early in her tenure as Resources Minister.
“The resources industry needs to take serious steps to increase female participation in the workplace,” she said at the time. “Governments and industry must work together to ensure we have safe and inclusive workplaces that welcome and encourage women to have rewarding careers in the mining sector.”
Ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, Australian Mining asked King for her thoughts on the place of women in the industry.
Is the Australian resources sector doing enough to attract more female talent? What are some of the main barriers to stronger women’s participation in the Australian mining workforce? What is being done to improve access for women to the industry?
King told Australian Mining that much has been done in recent years.
“But a lot more needs to be done to make sure mining provides a safe and meaningful career option for women,” King said.
She said the pathway to senior roles remains a relatively narrow one, with women underrepresented across a number of fields, including leadership roles.
“Despite having some remarkable and talented female leaders in the sector, women still make up just over 20 per cent of the resources workforce,” she said.
“At chief executive level, Amanda Lacaze at Lynas and Rowena Smith at ASM are rare examples of female CEOs of ASX-listed mining companies.
“Whenever I visit a mine site – be it in the Pilbara, the Goldfields, Mt Isa or the coalfields of New South Wales – I always enjoy meeting the growing numbers of female workers across all types of roles. But I am yet to see those numbers grow in senior leadership roles.”
King said encouraging more female workers at all levels of mining requires deliberate and sustained efforts.
“Workplaces need to be safe places for women, be free of all kinds of discrimination and harassment, offer equal opportunities for advancement and career development, and equal pay no matter what level women are working at,” she said.
“Getting more female workers into the resources sector is the best way we can address worker shortages and skill shortages, while also ensuring management and boards consider one half of the population for senior positions.
“The future of Australia’s resources sector is bright, and it will be brighter still if women are allowed to shine within it.”
Read more: How women are breaking ground and building futures in mining
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